The 2018 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best New TV Series
As we near the end of 2018, awards season begins to ramp up, and with that, another iteration of [...]
As we near the end of 2018, awards season begins to ramp up, and with that, another iteration of ComicBook.com's Golden Issue Awards.
In an effort to celebrate the best of content released in the past 12 months, the ComicBook.com came together to determine the favorites across all platforms of entertainment including movies, anime, games, television, and comic books.
From streaming services to cable giants, 2018 saw an abundance of exciting new TV series, spread across every genre. From big budget interpretations of superheroes to dark and dramatic reimaginings of classic horror novels, there were lots of binge-worthy shows that made their debut this year.
And the winner of Best New TV Series is...
The initial announcement of a new adaptation of Shirley Jackson's iconic 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House immediately inspired trepidation in horror fans, as most of us were reminded of the abysmal 1999 adaptation The Haunting. All that worrying proved for naught, as Mike Flanagan's long-form approach to bringing the story to life proved one of the most talked-about TV series of the year, both for devout genre fanatics and casual viewers alike.
On the surface, there's little about The Haunting of Hill House that stands out. It's a TV show about a family dealing with a haunted house, seemingly delivering fans the same frights they could get from any other series. Ultimately, what made Hill House such a treat was the ways in which the supernatural elements proved so irrelevant to what drove the drama.
Haunting of Hill House is undeniably a horror TV series, though its interpretations of "ghosts" is less about ghouls trying to creep out a homeowner and more about the ways in which the past can come back to terrorize us. Sure, this means the souls of the departed keeping a creepy and watchful eye on the world of the living, but it's even more about how personal trauma continues to impact us, no matter how hard we try to move forward.
The appearance of an otherworldly entity or the thought of a sad memory from our past both cause an immediate and fearful response, sparking fear and anxiety into us instinctively. What Haunting of Hill House explored was how we make peace with the past, knowing there's nothing we can do to change it, and how we can heal and move forward.
Between its powerful performances and compelling direction, Haunting of Hill House delivered audiences not only one of the most effective horror show of the year, but also one of the most sophisticated and evocative dramas.
Be sure to come back and check out the rest of the winners as they're announced throughout the week!
List of Nominees:
- The Haunting of Hill House [WINNER]
- Krypton
- Titans
- Black Lightning
- Cloak & Dagger